WNBA Power Rankings: What Every Team Needs This Offseason

The 2026 WNBA regular season is almost over, and the playoffs begin on Sunday, September 27. Teams that won't make the playoffs are already thinking hard about how to improve for the 2027 season. Even the teams that are in the playoffs have front office workers — the people who make roster decisions — planning for the future.

The Golden State Valkyries lead the power rankings at 31-11. Their defense is one of the best in the league, but they only score about 82 points per game, which ranks near the bottom. They are one of only two teams without a single player averaging more than 14.5 points per game, so finding a go-to scorer is their top offseason goal.

The Las Vegas Aces are second at 29-13. They grab fewer offensive rebounds than most other teams, which means they miss out on second-chance scoring opportunities. A powerful rebounder playing alongside superstar A'ja Wilson could make the Aces even harder to beat.

The Atlanta Dream are third at 29-14. Angel Reese is an amazing rebounder, but the Dream rank second to last in blocked shots and allow opponents to make more than half of their close-range shots. Adding a strong rim protector — a player who blocks shots near the basket — would make their defense much tougher.

The Minnesota Lynx have the league's best record at 32-10 but rank fourth. Their starting lineup is excellent, yet only one backup player, Nia Coffey, contributes in a meaningful way. If a starter were to get injured, the Lynx would really feel the impact of their thin bench depth.

The Dallas Wings are fifth at 26-16. Despite having stars like Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale, only one player on the roster shoots better than 40% from three-point range. Dallas ranks near the bottom of the league in free-throw rate and three-point rate, so they need a more consistent shooter.

The Indiana Fever are sixth at 27-15. Caitlin Clark leads a team that scores plenty of points, but Indiana gives up the fourth-most points per game and commits lots of fouls. With weak steal and block numbers, the Fever clearly need to focus on playing better defense next season.

The Washington Mystics are seventh at 26-16 and have the youngest roster in the league, averaging just 23.5 years old per player. Youth comes with mistakes — Washington commits the most turnovers in the entire WNBA at nearly 15 per game. A seasoned veteran guard could help the young players make smarter decisions on the court.

The New York Liberty are eighth at 26-17. Opponents score nearly a third of their points against New York from three-point range, and the Liberty force the fewest turnovers of any team in the league. They could really use a skilled perimeter defender who can guard outside shooters and create turnovers.

The Los Angeles Sparks are ninth at 16-26 and searching for a new identity. They recently changed their general manager, and leading scorer Nneka Ogwumike is retiring. The team needs to decide how to develop younger players like Cameron Brink and Rae Burrell as they head into another rebuilding period.

The Phoenix Mercury rank tenth at 15-27 and are the oldest team in the league with an average age of 30.5. Their veteran stars are aging, and one of them, DeWanna Bonner, has already left the team. Phoenix must focus on finding young players who can help them compete for seasons to come.

The Portland Fire are eleventh at 16-27 in their debut WNBA season. They rank last in rebounds and near the bottom in made close-range shots, meaning they struggle to be physical inside. Portland shoots the three-ball well, but they need a strong post player to balance out their offense and protect the glass.

The Chicago Sky are twelfth at 15-27. After trading Angel Reese to Atlanta and losing another frontcourt player to injury, the team now gives up the most rebounds in the league. Fixing their rebounding is the most urgent task for Chicago heading into the offseason.

The Toronto Tempo are thirteenth at 11-31 in their very first WNBA season. Injuries hurt them, and they allowed the most points per game in the league at 94.3, plus the most three-pointers allowed per game. Coach Sandy Brondello needs to recruit defensive players who will put in the effort to contest shots and disrupt opposing offenses.

The Connecticut Sun finished last among established teams at 10-32 and are on the verge of a huge change. The franchise is relocating to Houston, where they will be reborn as the Comets. It is still unknown which players and coaches will join the move, so the new-look team will essentially be starting completely over.

At the very bottom are the Seattle Storm at 8-35. They shoot just 42.2% from the field, which is the lowest mark in the league. Seattle has three young players — Dominique Malonga, Awa Fam, and Flau'Jae Johnson — to build around, and the team should make adding offensive talent their number one priority in 2027.